Beholden to the Future!
by animejunky78
Summary: Book/Story 2 of No Time Like the Present.
1. Prologue

**Beholden to the Future!**

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of it's characters.

Prologue

A caravan of cars pulled into the driveway one at a time, in a neat orderly line. Rin had arranged a baby shower for Kagome, and the guests were arriving right on time. Both mothers had, of course, made it to the house before anyone else to help Rin set up the decorations and arrange the house. Kagome was unaware of any of the festivities that had been planned; so when she came home from shopping she was surprised to see so many people in her living room. Mrs. Higurashi led her daughter to the sofa where she was sitting in the middle of the crowd of females.

Everyone took an opportunity to offer their present and Kagome was in tears by the end of the party. All of her old friends from middle and high school had come, along with many of her new friends that she had met since becoming the wife of the inu-youkai lord. The festivities continued into the evening and the party guests slowly filtered out as the sky grew darker.

Rin and the mothers remained in the house helping Kagome to clean things and put things away. Sesshoumaru had been away on business and would not be home until tomorrow. Rin planned the shower for this day, precisely because of that. She knew that he was not very fond of these 'girly' things, and so she waited for his trip. Kagome was now five months pregnant with their newest child, and if things went as they did with Saisho, she would be delivering next month. Her belly was quit large at this point, and the pregnancy had been going well. Kagome was surprisingly energetic and felt strong. Although by the end of the day she was always ready to collapse.

While the women all sat around the dining room table drinking tea and talking with one another, a knock on the door stopped them all from their conversation. Kagome looked around the table to see if anyone was expecting a visitor, and when the blank expressions were her answer she stood from the table. She carefully walked to the door and gently opened it to see the person standing behind it.

When the door was fully opened, her mouth fell open and she stared gapping at the person before her. A man, young in appearance, stood before her; wearing a pair of ratty jeans, a black shirt with a red leather jacket. His feet were bare and rough. His hair was long and flowing, like white threads on a breeze, and two pointed white ears were positioned on the top of his head. Adorning his neck was a familiar strand of black and white beads. A faint smile came across his face at the sight of the woman before him. She tried to speak but no words could be produced from her mouth. The young man chuckled softly at her stunned expression.

"Inuyasha!" She finally eked out.


	2. Added Guest

Kagome stared blankly at the man before her. She was in complete shock, and didn't know if she was seeing things or just losing her mind. After a hard dry swallow that stuck in her throat, she licked her lips in an attempt to bring her brain up to speed.

"Your suppose to be dead." She finally got out with absolutely no tact at all.

"Do I look dead to you?" He half chuckled. "Look at you though. Your as big as a house."

"What?" She squawked out at him and placed her free hand on her hip; the other still steadying her against the door. "You are still as rude as ever."

Inuyasha laughed out load, throwing his head back. The stunned woman at the door just blinked hard a few times, still unsure if what she was seeing was real. With a trembling hand she reached out toward him, but stopped short of touching his chest. When his laughing had stopped, his gaze locked onto her shaking hand and his eyes turned serious. As her hand drifted closer he stood very still for her, realizing what she was wanting to know. With her hand wavering a few inches from him and not continuing he reached for her. A sharp gasp escaped her lips when his hand took hold of hers, and her eyes darted to meet his; tears welled at the corners.

"They said you were dead." She began in a shaky voice. "They both said that you were dead."

"You can see that I'm not." His voice was low and steady, and he pulled her closer; putting her hand onto his chest and softly caressing his own hand over hers.

"Why?" Her voice was really unsteady now, and he knew her too well to know that they should continue the conversation in a sitting position.

"May I come in or should we continue to talk in the doorway?" He edged forward.

"Y-yes." She stammered out and stepped into the house, making way for him to come inside. "Come in, please."

Inuyasha walked into the entryway of the house and stopped to look around. When his gaze fell on the other women still sitting at the table, a soft grin was granted to one person that he knew seated there. Ms. Higurashi looked in awed amazement at the half demon she knew years and almost a lifetime before. Without hesitation she jumped from her seat and ran to him. She embraced him tightly and began to sob tears of her own. After a long tight hug she finally released him and stepped back to look at him.

"Is it really you?" She asked in a voice that was firmer then her face looked.

"Yes. I am still alive." He answered while taking both her hands in his and smiling brightly at her.

"But, how? I don't understand?" She asked all at once. "Kagome said that you were dead."

"I will explain everything in time." He grinned toothily at them both. "Right now, I am starving. You got any ramen in this place?" The question directed at Kagome.

"What? No." She barked at him in surprise. "There are leftovers in the fridge if you like."

Without needing any more of an invitation then that, Inuyasha made for the kitchen, and began rummaging through the refrigerator. After coming out victorious with a dish of some unknown foods he took a seat at the table, and began to devour the contents of his dish. Rin and Satori looked on in amazement at the man sitting at the end of the table across from them, and gave each other a sideways glance quickly. When everyone was seated and the meal over, it was time for the conversation to begin.

"Inuyasha, tell me what happened?" Kagome couldn't wait any longer for answers.

"I'm not dead." He said before slamming the last of his drink.

"I can see that, you idiot. What I want to know, is how? Why? Everyone thought that you were dead." She pressed.

"Naw, I wasn't dead. I was in hibernation." He said casually.

"Hibernation?" She questioned puzzlingly. "You can hibernate?"

"Yeah, it's easy really. It's like when you first found me. I was alive, but sleeping in a sense." He said in his typical clumsy manner of explanation.

"You were shot with another arrow?" Kagome scoffed.

"No." He barked in retaliation. "I did it myself. I wanted to go to sleep, you idiot."

"Oh, I didn't know you could do something like that." Kagome sat back in her chair and looked wonderingly at her old friend.

"So, Rin. How have you been?" He asked her suddenly.

"Oh, fine." She stammered out. "It's been a long time."

"Sure has squirt. Have you seen Shippou lately?" Inuyasha asked with a knowing look on his face.

"Don't play that game with me Inuyasha." The girl said sternly, and with some agitation.

"I know, I know. Congratulations." He smiled and winked at her. "It's about time if you ask me."

"No one did." She snapped at him and looked away. "Excuse me please." Rin stood and left the table.

"She hasn't changed much." Inuyasha said with a slight attitude in his voice, and Satori eyed the half demon angrily.

Kagome watched the whole scene unfold before her, and took careful note of the various things that were said and not said. There was something going on underneath all of this, and she was not sure she liked any of it. She needed to talk with Shippou and most especially Sesshoumaru. He would be returning tomorrow afternoon, and it would be interesting when he did.

That night Kagome laid in bed thinking of the past and of the future that she was now in. The whole of her life had suddenly crashed together in one great mix of time and place. The more she thought of it the more her head hurt. More then anything she needed answers about Inuyasha, and she needed her mate by her side right now.

'_Where is my Sesshoumaru?'_


End file.
